Apparatus and method for removing fecal impaction

Abstract

An apparatus for removing a fecal impaction from a patient's rectum is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a shaft which is inserted into the patient's rectum. Coupled to the shaft is a plurality of flexible spines. The apparatus also includes a mechanism for bowing at least one of the spines away from the shaft in order to cut through the fecal mass and define a volume that includes at least a portion of the fecal impaction to be removed. In one aspect, the mechanism for bowing at least one of the spines away from the shaft is a fixed collar which defines a plurality of flexible spine orifices. Each of the flexible spines passes a predetermined length through one of the spine orifices. In another aspect, the mechanism for bowing the spines is a collar slideably mounted to the shaft. In this aspect, each one of the plurality of flexible spines is coupled to the slideable collar. In another aspect, the apparatus includes a sheath having an edge fixed to the closer end of the flexible spines and a movable edge which can be extended to cover the flexible spines and encapsulate the fecal mass. Once the fecal mass is encapsulated by extending the sheath over the bowed spines, the fecal mass can be flattened by straightening the spines and subsequently removed.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. Apparatus for removing a fecal impaction from a patient's rectum, the apparatus comprising: a shaft having proximal and distal ends;   a plurality of flexible spines arranged parallel to said shaft, each spine having proximal and distal ends, one of said proximal and distal ends of each spine fixed relative to a corresponding proximal or distal end of said shaft, each of said plurality of flexible spines comprising material providing said spines with sufficient thinness and stiffness to cut through a fecal impaction; and   means for bowing at least one of said spines away from said shaft coupled to the other end of each spine such that said other end of each spine is slideable in a lengthwise mariner relative to said shaft and said bowed spine and said shaft define a volume which contains at least a portion of the fecal impaction.   
     
     
       2. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a collar fixed to one of said proximal and distal ends of said shaft, wherein said one end of each of said flexible spines is coupled to said fixed collar. 
     
     
       3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said means for bowing at least one of said flexible spines comprises a collar slideably mounted to one of said distal and proximal ends of said shaft, wherein a corresponding end of each of said flexible spines is coupled to said slideable collar. 
     
     
       4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said means for bowing at least one of said plurality of flexible spines comprises a plurality of rods, each of said plurality of rods extendible radially from said shaft and coupled to said spines. 
     
     
       5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said rods are located at said other end of said shaft and wherein said other end of said spines are coupled to said rods. 
     
     
       6. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said rods are located at substantially the middle of said shaft and wherein said spines are coupled to said rods. 
     
     
       7. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising: a sheath having a fixed edge coupled to said proximal end of at least one of said plurality of flexible spines and a moveable edge slideably coupled to at least one of said plurality of flexible spines; and   means for extending said sheath to cover at least one of said plurality of flexible spines from proximal end to distal end, thereby encapsulating the volume defined by said shaft and said flexible spine.   
     
     
       8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said sheath-extending means is a wire coupled to said moveable edge of said sheath. 
     
     
       9. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said sheath includes a plurality of rings, said plurality of rings slideably attached to said plurality of flexible spines. 
     
     
       10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said distal end of said shaft is substantially conical in shape. 
     
     
       11. Apparatus for removing a fecal impaction from a patient's rectum, the apparatus comprising: a shaft having proximal and distal ends;   a collar fixed to said proximal end of said shaft, said collar defining a plurality of orifices; and   a plurality of flexible spines arranged parallel to said shaft, each spine having a distal end fixed relative to said distal end of said shaft and a proximal end extending a predetermined length through one of said orifices defined by said collar.   
     
     
       12. The apparatus of claim 11 further comprising a collar fixed to said distal end of said shaft, wherein said distal end of each of said spines is coupled to said distally-fixed collar. 
     
     
       13. The apparatus of claim 12 further comprising a plurality of rods, each of said plurality of rods extendible radially from said shaft and coupled to said spines. 
     
     
       14. The apparatus of claim 11 further comprising: a sheath having a fixed edge coupled to said proximal end of at least one of said plurality of flexible spines and a moveable edge slideably coupled to at least one of said plurality of flexible spines; and   means for extending said sheath to cover at least one of said plurality of flexible spines from proximal end to distal end, thereby encapsulating the volume defined by said shaft and said flexible spine.   
     
     
       15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein said sheath-extending means is a wire coupled to said moveable edge of said sheath. 
     
     
       16. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein said sheath includes a plurality of rings, said plurality of rings slideably attached to said plurality of flexible spines. 
     
     
       17. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said distal end of said shaft is substantially conical in shape. 
     
     
       18. A method for removing a fecal impaction from a patient's rectum comprising the steps of: inserting an apparatus into the patient's rectum, said apparatus comprising a shaft having proximal and distal ends, a plurality of flexible spines fixed relative to one of said proximal and distal ends of said shaft, and a sheath disposed over said flexible rods;   bowing at least one of said flexible spines away from said shaft;   extending said sheath along the length of said bowed spines to encapsulate at least a portion of the fecal impaction;   straightening said bowed spines to compress the encapsulated fecal impaction; and removing said apparatus and the encapsulated fecal impaction from the patient's rectum.   
     
     
       19. The method of claim 18 wherein step (b) comprises bowing said plurality of flexible spines away from said shaft. 
     
     
       20. The method of claim 18 wherein step (b) further comprises cutting through the fecal impaction with said at least one bowed flexible spine. 
     
     
       21. The method of claim 18 wherein step (a) further comprises providing an apparatus in which the sheath has an inside surface and an outside surface, wherein a lubricant is disposed on said outside surface. 
     
     
       22. The method of claim 18 wherein step (a) further comprises inserting an apparatus into the patient's rectum, said apparatus comprising a shaft having proximal and distal ends,   a collar slideably mounted on one of said proximal and distal ends of said shaft,   a plurality of flexible spines, one end of said spines coupled to said collar and the other end of said spines fixed relative to said one end of said shaft, and   a sheath disposed over said flexible spines, and wherein step (b) comprises sliding said collar toward the other of said proximal and distal ends of said shaft.     
     
     
       23. The method of claim 18 wherein step (a) further comprises inserting said apparatus to one side of the fecal impaction. 
     
     
       24. The method of claim 18 wherein step (a) further comprises inserting said apparatus through the fecal impaction. 
     
     
       25. Apparatus for removing a fecal impaction from a patient's rectum, the apparatus comprising: a shaft having a proximal end, a distal end, and a longitudinal axis;   a first flexible spine fixed relative to said proximal and distal ends of said shaft, said first flexible spine fixed in position;   a second flexible spine fixed relative to said proximal and distal ends of said shaft, said second flexible spine rotatable about said longitudinal axis of said shaft;   a sheath having a first side coupled to said fixed spine and a second edge coupled to said rotatable spine; and   means for bowing said flexible spines away from said shaft.   
     
     
       26. A method for treating a fecal impaction comprising the steps of: (a) inserting the apparatus of claim 25 through the fecal impaction;   (b) bowing said flexible spines away from said shaft;   (c) rotating said rotatable spine around said shaft to encapsulate the fecal impaction with said sheath;   (d) straightening said bowed spines; and   (e) removing said apparatus from the patient's rectum.   
     
     
       27. A device for removing a fecal impaction from a patient's rectum comprising: a shaft having distal and proximal ends, said shaft defining a wire channel, said distal end of said shaft defining a wire orifice, and said proximal end of said shaft defining a handle orifice;   a collar slideably mounted on said distal end of said shaft;   a plurality of flexible spines, each of said spines having a distal end attached to said slideable collar and a proximal end attached to said proximal end of said shaft;   a sheath having a fixed edge coupled to said proximal ends of said spines and a moveable edge slideably mounted on said plurality of flexible spines; and   a wire radially coupled to said sheath, wherein said wire passes through said wire orifice, is disposed in said wire channel, and exits said handle orifice.   
     
     
       28. The device of claim 27 wherein said sheath is folded accordion-like before it is extended. 
     
     
       29. The device of claim 27 wherein said moveable edge comprises an elastic ring, wherein said elastic ring is stiff enough to cut through the fecal impaction. 
     
     
       30. Apparatus for removing a fecal impaction from a patient's rectum, the apparatus comprising: a shaft having proximal and distal ends;   a plurality of flexible spines arranged parallel to said shaft, each spine having proximal and distal ends, said proximal end of each spine fixed relative to said proximal end of said shaft and said distal end of each spine fixed relative to said distal end of said shaft;   means for shortening said shaft so that said spines bow away from said shaft such that said bowed spines and said shaft define a volume which contains at least a portion of the fecal impaction;   a sheath having a fixed edge coupled to said proximal end of at least one of said plurality of flexible spines and a moveable edge slideably coupled to at least one of said plurality of flexible spines; and   means for extending said sheath to cover at least one of said plurality of flexible spines from proximal end to distal end, thereby encapsulating the volume defined by said shaft and said flexible spine.   
     
     
       31. The apparatus of claim 30 wherein said sheath-extending means is a wire coupled to said moveable edge of said sheath. 
     
     
       32. The apparatus of claim 30 wherein said sheath includes a plurality of rings, said plurality of rings slideably attached to said plurality of flexible spines.